Mining-machine.



A BALL.-

MINING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1908. I

Patented Nov. 14,1916.

2 $H.EETS SHEET I In vcnior: aleri Z all 3 I moaore. a

ALBERT BALL, OF'CLAREMONT,

NEW HAMPSHIRE, nssrenon, BY MESNE nssrelm- MEN'IS, TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MA$SACHUSETTS, -.A

conronnrion or MASSACHUSETTS.

MIXING-MACHINE.

To all tvhom it mayvconce'rn:

ofNew Hampshire, have invented an-Im-- pro'veinent in Mining-Machines, OfWhiCli the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specificataken in. connection with the tion. like'lette'rs on the drawings represent ing like parts. 4

'My invention relates to mining machines, being more particularly intended to provide improved means for feeding and a mining machinewhile performing the cut-. ting'operation. p

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when illustration of "one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will .be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in plan,

partially broken away, a mining machine -adjustably' ta-ke "up. or'

embodying one form of ward end of the cutter bar'being broken away; Fig. 3 is asection in elevation on .the

winding drums to let outthe trailing cable; Fig-"4 is a. central sectional plan ratcheting one" of the o'nthe line4-4 Fig. 3'; Fig. 5 is a simi lar sectional plan showing the other winding drum;,Fig. 61s a section inelevation Sll().W'

ing the brake orfretarding device for 'one of the Winding drums; Fig 7 is a detail in sectional elevation showing the locking pawl for-leading winding drum, and" 8, 9 and 10 are diagram s showingfthe min-j '1 as" arranged {for the ing machine of Fig. V starting cut,. main cut and loading 1nove-' ment respectively.

.Referring to the drawings and to thel'em-i bodiment of m y nvention which {I have there disclosed, for the sake of, illustrating one concrete form of my invention amining machine of the well-known cutter chain' type ed to undercut the wall of the mimiwith a I having the body or main framel "with the cutter bar-2 projecting therefromand adapthorizontal kerf as the machine is. moved transversely relative to the direction of. cut- Specification of Letters Patent.

; have, for illustration,

accompanying .means are provided upon and the niachineis adapted .to move along the my invention; Fig. '2 shows the same mining machine in side ,elevationand' on ;a reduced scale, the forter bar, as ittravels,

} like guiding supports.

' end and. the oth 'r nearer preferably consisflof Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed November 24, 1 908. Seria.1 1\To. 464,320.

ter bar length or in the direction shown by Be it known that I, ALB R BALL, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Claremont, county of Sullivan, and State the arrow in Fig. 1.

Thecutter bar, as usual, carries a suitable cutter chain 3 driven from the driving sprocket wheel 4. The latter is mounted on the driving shaft 5, to which. is secured the large driven gear 6 These parts are indicated by 9- on the frame of the machine.

tionaldetails form no essential .part of the v driven by the pinion 7, on the shaft8 of'the upright electric motor present invention, but, herein, having reference. to these as well as .to certain other constructional features" of the machine, I shown .my invention as applied to amachine of the general construction-shown 1n the prior 'patent to' Mitchell No. 656,414. While, for such purpose, any suitableconstruction maybe em ployed, in the present machine, supporting with which mine and ;preferably,.was in the Mitchell patent referred to, member or shoe 10 (Fig. 2) upon which the machine is adapted to slide, if desired, di

rectly upon the bottom or floor of the mine.

Without the necessary use of railsor other form of my invention I this purpose flexible guiding means, herein in the form of a wire rope or cable present- 1 .95 I [connected to aifixed sn pport, one on the admg two portions or lengths 11 and 12,.both

in the form of a bottom the machine that the cuti is held-:up. to thelwork guiding .85 cables or other flexible In the illustrated have'providedjvfor.

vancing side of the Ilia-chine and' the other,

on the receding tli'ereof, and one'c'onnected I I to thesniachinejadjacentits wall-or cutting each wound upon and able winding devices.

the opposite end:- thereof-.' two" lengths or portions twov separate'lengths unwound fromj suite although other, ar

rangements might-- be adopted within-the in? spirit of the invention.

.As seen in Fig. 1 the leading cable 11 on the advancing side of the machine is wound about the winding drum 13 mounted to rotate about the horizontally and transversely disposed shaft 14, the said cable, during the lateral feeding movement of the machine, being connected to the latter about a fulcruming guide, which guide is in the form of a guide sheave 15 preferably mounted in substantially upright bearings on the advancing side of the machine and near the wall or cutting end thereof. On the other hand, the rear or drag line cable 12 is connected to the drag line drum 16, the latter mounted to rotate aboutthe horizontally disposed shaft 17 suitably supported near the rear end of the machine, so that the cable,

during the operation of the machine, 1s

adapted to leave the machine on the receding side and near the outer end thereof or that end opposite the wall or cutting end. The two cable portions (as represented in Figs. 1 and 9) may, therefore, be arranged in two substantially parallel lengths and, when under tension, with the cutter chain in position against the work, will serve to hold the cutter bar against the work and in a position which can be regulated by adjusting the drag line cable 12 to swing the machine more or less about the guiding sheave 15 as a fulcrum.

While the two cables 11 and 12 might be employed solely to guide the machine and is connected to turn the hold the same in the desired relation to the work, other and independent means being employed positively to feed the machine, herein preferably I employ power-driven means to draw in one of the guide members while paying out the other, thereby to feed the machine at the same time it is guided. To this end boththe winding drums 13 and 16 are connected to be driven in unison from the motor 9 so as to draw in one while equally paying out the other cable and to maintain the established tension on the two cables while causing the advance of the machine.

In the disclosed form of machine in order to drive the drums, the upright driving shaft 5 is provided with the driving pinion 18 meshing with the gear 19, the latter being connected to turn the smaller pinion 20 and the intermeshing gear 21, which latter beveled gear 22. To drive the drum 13 thegear 22 has meshing therewith the'beveled gear 23 fixed to the driving shaft 21, the latter (see Fig. 5) carrying at its end the driving pinion 25 meshing with an internal gear 26 carried by the inner face of the winding drum 13. Similarly, the drum 16 is driven from the bevel gear 27 meshing with the driving gear 22 and carried on the driving shaft 28, (Fig. 4) which latter is provided with the driving gear 29 meshing with the internal gear 30 on latter, being rotatably ing .of the cut when, with the cables the-driving drum 16. By this means both drums are driven at the same speed from the motor 9 and in a suitable direction to which latter extends to a fixed support such 'as the anchor bar 68 fixed at the end of the coal face. The cable 12 which extends to a fixed support 59 is paid out to an equal extent so that the same cable tension is constantly maintained. The machine, therefore, as it travels, is held in and against the work, the cutters acting to draw the machine in and the trailing cable tending to swing the cutter bar forward about the fulcruming guide sheave 15 and hold the cutters against the coal.

In order to disconnect either or both winding drums from the driving motor the transmission gearing for quickly winding in or unwinding the cables when the out has been ter being journaled in the bracket 31 on the machine frame is provided with the hand lever 32 by which the shaft may be turned through 180 to permit the eccentric portion thereof to draw the internal gear 26 into or out of mesh with the driving gear 25. Similarly,the .drum 16 is mounted on an eccentric portion of the shaft 17 and the held in the bracket 33, may be turned by the hand lever 34 to engage the internal gear 30 of the drum 16 with thepinion 29, or disengage the same therefrom. This permits either drum to be thrown out of engagement with the driving a motor and the transmission gearing at wlll.

One difliculty following the use of cables,

and winding drums on machines of this nature, lies in the tendency of such cables to uncoil from the drums or the tendency of their coils to open or spread while on the drums, and thereby to become entangled, when the drum is suddenly freed for turnwhile its cable is still under tension. This may happen, for example, at the end still under tension, oneor both drums may be disengaged from the transmission mechanism by turning its eccentric bearing shaft. Under such circumstances the drums tend suddenly to spin about and spread or unwind the the cable, To oppose the uncoil of the cables under these or other conditions,

, terior of the to betterquickly winding up the cable lar hood or casing 42, the latter, shown, preferably'leayingthe inner end of such for examfixedly secured and presenting 'thedrum a pc- I preferably. provide means, ple, as thQhOOiijQl, casing '35 to the shaft 14%{s ee Fig. 5 to the coils when iwound on ripheral'wall 36 which lies closely adjacent the coils and acts to house them in so that any tendency to loosen and spring away from the walls of the drum when the latter is suddenly freed is effectually prevented by the coils coming in contact with the inner walls of the casing. If the drum,

therefore, is suddenly disconnected .from'the driving gear with its'cable under tension, even if the drum spins around, the coils'cannot.expand'or open' far enough to pass over 'one another or become entangled with each other, but through the proximity of.the' bearing, are maintained in the'same helical relations obtaining when they were first wound upon the drum. If desired, in order preserve the ,successive' convolutions' of the cablesin their normal relation, the peripheral walls 36 of 'the hood may not only'lee brought very close to the cable strands as. shown, the winding surface of the drum may --be-provided with helical grooves to correspond to the cable coils, so that one coil cannot possibly crowd over the next adjacent one.

The hood 35 .for the drum 13 is shown as entirely inclosing the drum, except where exit of the cable is necemary, the drum belng manually turned, when disconnected from the driving gear, for the'fpurpose of by .means of the driving pinion 38 meshing with the internalgear39, the latter'formed on the indrum 13, the said gear being turned by the 16 there-is also preferably provided a simihowever, as

v the'drum open andexposed, so that the latletout .thetrailing cable by ter maybe turned adjustably to take up or -means' of a .ratchet lever 43 to be more fully described.

To further oppose the tendency of the Wind- 7 ing' drums, when freed from connection with thetransmissiongearing, to spin and uncoil its cable, additional means may. be

employed, either with or without the means alreadydescribed, which act against the cable directly. As an instance of such .addi- I "tional'means there is here provided for re-.

tarding or opposing such spinning movement of the drum adevice, the same herein comprising a friction orbrake' member v44. adapted to engage the periphery of the drum 13 when thelatter "is. disengaged ,by movement of the eccentric shaft and apply thereto a measure of frictional retardat on.

ing tendency l slide in the the machine is held'in removable hand crank 40 connectedto the gear shaft 41. For the drum Such brakexmember comprises, a preferablyv face" with leather or other fric tion'al materi a and suitably. mounted-to toward the drum by means of the spiral spring 46, the pressure of whichmay be regul'atedjbythe adjusting screw 47. Preferably theii-shoe is so adjusted-that, when the eccentrief' lever 32 is thrown to disengage the drum," the 'r.im of the latter is brought 'against the"shoe, .so that its tendency to rotate may be more or less retarded according to the compression of the spring 46. the cable needs, to be wound in by hand, the pressure of the shoe may be relieved to facilitate the winding-in operation. While one drum only is shown-as provided-with a drum-retarding device it isobvious that a similar attachment might be applied to the remaining drum. v

By reference to Fig. 9 it will be seen that pulls ofthe two cables exerted one near-the end of the machine. The sheave 15 therefore'forms a fulcrum about which the machine may be swung to change its angular inclination by adjustably taking up or letting out the preceding cable 12.

In the illustrated machine I have provided means upon the machine itself for adjusting the cable 12;, the same .3 shoe 44,

bracket 45. The shoe is pressed When cut by the opposing wall end and the other near the opposite b comprising means for turning the winding drum; 16

more or less to tighten or loosen the cable. Any suitable means may beemployed, but

. herein the same comprises ratchet and pawl mechanism for winding up the cable on the 'drum or unwinding the same therefrom to any desired extent. For this purpose there is mounted upon the machine frame a bracket 48 (Fig. 3)' which carries the pivoted locking dog 49 adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel 50 fixedly secured to the drum 16. Engaging also with the teeth of the ratchet is thepawl 51, pivotally secured to the ratchet lever 45, the latter mounted to swing about, the shaft 17. When the eccentric shaft 17 is turned to the ratchet lever may be oscillated to ratchet the winding drum around and thus adjust ably take up, to any. desired extent, the trailing cable 12. In order to maintain at the disengage the pinion 29 from the gear 30,

same time the established tension 3 in the leading cable 11; means arep'referably proof. the drum 13 during the ratcheting adjustment of the drum 16'. Any 'sultable vided for preventing unwinding movement means may be employed, but herein there is provided (Fig. 1)f-upon the driving shaft for the drum-'13 a' ratchet wheel 52 engaged by the pivoted detent or dog 53, which lat ter prevents-unwinding movement of the drum When it is required to wind the cable 11 on the drum 13 either by hand or 35 chine I-may also employ preferably in conpower the dog 53 may be thrown out of enga ement with the ratchet wheel 52.

f it is required to slacken the drag line 12 to adjust the angular position of the machine, the dog 49 may be temporarily withdrawn from the ratchet wheel 50 and the latter allowed to turnunder the control of the ratcheting lever 45 to any desired extent. For this purpose the dog 19 is provided with a lug 54 which may be pressed down to withdraw the dog from the ratchet. The dog is pressed into engagement with the ratchet by means of the spring 55, but when the drum'is again thrown into engagement with the transmission gearing the dog is withdrawn from the ratchet either manually or automatically to leave-the latter free to turn. To automatically withdraw the dog from the ratchet when the gear 30 is thrown into mesh with the shaft 28, the shaft 17 is provided with a finger 56 fixedly secured thereto. When the eccentric shaft 17 is turned by the lever 34 to connect the drum with the transmission gearing, the finger 56 is swung through approximately 180 with the shaft and caused to strike a laterally projecting lug 57 secured to the dog, and throwing the dog back about its pivot, automatically withdraws it from the ratchet. It therefore follows that the drag line may be taken in or let outiand the position of the machine be regulated by the ratchet adjustment located on the mach ne itself. In or- I de'r, however, to adjust the guiding means independently of the mechanism on the manection with'the drag line 12 a device apart from the said machine for taking in or letting out the cable. In the present instance see Fig. 9) I have represented thefixed support 59 as consisting of an adjustable take-up jack of the type described'in connection with the aforesaid patent to Mitchell, the same being more particularly shown as to its details in Figs. 16 and 17 of the saidpatent.

The cable at its end is secured to a section of cable chain 58, which latter engages the take-up 59 so that, by adjusting the latter the cable 12 may beshortened or lengthened.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the arrangement of the cable 11 for efiecting the starting or sumpingcut. For this operation the cable is led forwardly about the sheave 15 and thence to a fixed jack or other support 59, the cable in this relation acting to draw the machine forward into the face of the coal prior to making the lateral or main out.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the arrangement of the cables 11 and 12 when the machine is makingits cut across the face. During this operation it will be noted that the cable 11 is connected to a fixed support 68, while the cable 12 is connected to the take-up 59, so that the machine may move transversely across the face'as the two drums 13 and 16 are operated, the movement of the machine being controlled by the controlling mechaby one of the rope-winding drums previ-.

ously described, herein there is provided a special power-driven member for effecting the loading movement, the same comprising the sprocket wheel 61 secured to the drum driving shaft 24 (see Fig. 1). When it is desired to draw the machine backward upon a truck or other member, such as the starting frame 60, a cable chain 62 is secured at 63 to the rear end of the frame and the opposite end passed about the sprocket wheel 60, so that the latter acts to draw in the chain and drawvthe machine upon the frame, the free end of the chain being held and taken inby the attendant.

In my improved construction wherein the drum 13 is disposed on a transverse horizontal axis, it will be noted that the machine is rendered exceedingly compact in its longest dimension so that it may work behind props relatively close to the face of the coal'. At the same time, it is evident that it is possible to minimize the cable wear and the tanglin efiect of the back-lash on the feed cable w en the feed is released,as,by the location of the drum'at the side of the machine, it is possible to use a far larger drum than can be used on the front of the machine without damage to the roof. It

will also be noted that during the cutting operation, the cable leading from the drum may pass directly'to and around a guide sheave 15, which is disposed in a plane tangent to the bottom of the drum, thus affording a direct and very efficient cable connection. As shown, a fixed sheave may also be used for either the sumping cut or the cut across the face, making possible the elimination of the cutting of the cable experienced with adjustable sheaves, which in practice have been found to be very difiicult to" maintain in position and very prone to swing out of place and thereby cause cutting of the cable. Attention'is also directed to the fact that the drum 13, due to'its improved location at the side of the machine, may also be so spaced relative to the sheave as to .insure correct winding of the cable on the drum. It should also be noted that by locating the drum 13 on the "advancing side of the machine, the same may be very conveniently placed for the runner, whose normal position is at th left and rearof the machine is-correctly the machine while it is making its. cut from right to left, the several controlling mechanisms for the feed also being-conveniently located for the runner-when in that position. I, I I So far as concerns the drag linedrum 16 from which the drag line extends laterally' at the rear ofthe machine, attention is also directed to the fact that by extending the drag line laterally from the point indicated,

passing relative to its length as -to maintain the correct balance thereof in all cuttings and -render the use of a double strand ofcable in hard cutting unnecessary. Through" the pro'-- vision of an adjustable brake control forthe drum, the drag line 12 may also be'so the operator as to adjust thecontrolled by angle at which the cutter bar-2 operates upon the coal andthus keep the latter in'the position for most edec abled to adjust the drag line against 'a con-- siderable tension, this being a; feature of dis .tinct value as it enables the squaring'up or the-machine at th'e endgof the cut across the face. It will, however, be understood that the advantages to be obtained by ofdrag fline drum audits controlling mechanism are not obtainable solely from a drum, located at the rear of the machine as shown, but that the same are obtainable wherever the drum is located, so leng'as Y I the cable extends laterally" from the rearfof the machine or my improvedmean's forcontrolling the drum are used; we v While I have herein shown forthe purpose of illustration one specific formof my invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to the details'iof construction, or the relative arrangement of parts, or the application herein made of the invention, or' the" particular -form of mining machine shown, but that extensive devia' tionsmay be made in respect to these feaatirres, from the showing made without depa-rting' from-the spirit of the invention.

I claim is:

- bination, a'main body portion-having a cut- Having thus'dcsc'ribed my invention what 1. A mining machine comprising,"in*c'omter bar projecting from one end thercof,"a

- power driven winding drum having axis extend1ng transversel relative to the longitudinal 1 axis of sai vance of the machine around said guiding member to-said winding drum.

2. A mining machine comprisinga body portion, cutting mechanism projecting there-. from, a power driven'windmg drum'on the balanced, the cables. out from the machine at such points 7 v tive cutting. Itivvill also be noted that through the provision of the ratchet mechanism the "operator isentherefrom, a power driven machine, a guiding member adjacent the wall end of saidgbody portion, and a flexible feeding andjg uiding element passing from a fixed support in ad-li; b

adva nce sideof said body portion and having an axis extending transversely relative guiding 3. A mining machinecomprising, coni- I tion, and a flexible feeding-and guiding ele ment'pa'ssing from a fixed; support ad'- van'cc oft he machine around said guiding sheave to said winding drum. I f 4.1A mining machinecomprising, in com- ;te'r bar projectingfrom one end thereof, a power driven winding drumhajving an aiis extending in aflgenerally horizontal direction" transverse to, the longitudinal axis .of "saidmachine, a guiding sheave disposed in i a plane tangential to said drum adjacent the wall end-of said body portion and on the advancing side thereof, and a flexible feeding; and guiding element passing fronr a fixed support. in advance of the maeliine "around said sheave to -said winding fdruin.

5. A mining machine c omprising,- ii ij bom bination, amain body portion havinga cutter bar projecting from one power driven winding drum overhanging,

. the'advance side ofsaid body portie an disposed in a generally longitudinal tion, a guidingmember adjacent the wall end of said body 'portio'n and on the advance side thereof, and agfiexible guiding element passing'from a fixedsupport in advance ofthe machine around'said guiding member to "said winding drum, n 6. A. miningmachine comprising a body portion, -cutting mechanism projecting axis extending transversely relative" tothe .bination, a main bodyiportion having a cut- -ith snt-a sac;

shaft having its' 1 longitudinal axisof said machin'ejal pinion v, 'on said shaft, a'winding drumat one side of said body portion having an internal gear driven by A V jaccnt the Wall end offsaid body portion, nd'a flexible feeding and guiding element said winding drum". 7

7 'fmiiiing machine comprising, incom.

ration, a body portion, :cutting mechanism Q prb jectingitherefrom, alpower driven windi fg "said body portion and having an af"' 'exte ding in a generally horizonta said pinion,a guiding member ad transverse to the longitudinal axis passing from a fixed support 1n advancev ofi the machinearound said guiding member to:

power driven winding drum on the advance and side of said body portion and 'havin side of said body portion and having an axis extending in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said machine, a flexible advance feeding 'ding element extending from said winding drum to a fixed support in advance of the machine, a drag line drum carried by said body portion, and a drag line connecting said'drag line drum with a fixed supportin the rear of said machine.

9. A mining machine comprising, in combination, a main body portion having a cutter bar projecting from one end thereof, a power driven windin drum on the advance side of said body portion and having an axis extending in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said mach-inc,- a flexible advance feeding and guiding element extending from said winding drum to a fixed support in advance of the machine, a drag line drum carried by said body portion, a drag line connecting said drag line drum with a fixed support in the rear of said machine,-and manually con trolled braking means for one of said drums.

10. A mining machine comprising, in combination,,a main body portion 'liaying a cutter bar projecting from one end-thereof, a power 'driven winding 'drum'on-fthe advance side" of said body portion a;nd-having an axis extending in a glenerallyhorizontal direction transverse to t e longitudinal axis of said machine, a flexible advance feedin and iding element extending from sai winding drum to a fixed support in advance of the machine, a drag line drum carried by said body portion, a drag line connecting said drag line drum with a fixed support in the rear of said machine, and manually controlled braking means for one of said drums operable at any time during the operation of the machine.

11. A mining machine comprising, in' combination, a main body portion having a cutter bar projecting from one end thereof, a power. driven winding drum on the advance an axis extending in a generally horizonta direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said machine, a flexible advance feedin and guiding element extending from sai winding drum to a fixed support in advance of the machine, a drag line drum carried by rear of said machine, and ratchet means for rotating said drag line drum to wind in said drag line.

12. A mining machine comprising, in combination, a body portion, cutting mechanism pro ecting therefrom, a power driven winding drum on said body portion having an axis extending in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said machine, a flexible advance feedin and guiding element extending from sai winding drum to a fixed support in advanc of the machine, a drag line drum carried by said body portion, a drag line connecting said drag line drum with a fixed su port in the rear of said machine, manua ly controlled braking means for one of said drums, and ratchet means for rotatin said drag line drum to wind in said drag me.

13. A mining machine comprising, in combination,-a main body portion having a cutter bar projecting from one end thereof and rigidly attached thereto, an actuator, a flexible advance feedirg and guiding member leaving the machine at a point adjacent the wall end of said body portion, a rearwardly extending flexible drag line member leaving the machine at a point removed from the wall end of said body portion, a drum for each of said flexible members, the drum for said advance feeding and guiding member being located on the advance side of said body portion and having an axis extending in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said machine, and a driving connection between said actuator and said drum for said advance feeding and guiding member.

14. A mining machine comprising, in combination a main body portion having a cutter-bar projecting from one end thereof and rigidly attached thereto, an actuator, a flexible advance feeding and guiding member leaving the machine at a point adjacent the wall end of said body portion, a rearwardly extending flexible drag line member leaving the machine at a point removed from the wall end of said body portion, a drum for each'of said flexible members, the drum for said advance feeding and guiding member being located on the advance side of said body portion and having an axis extending in a generally horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said machine, one relatively near the Wall or cutting end and the other nearer the opposite end thereof, a pair of power-driven members connected to move in unison and engaging each of said guiding members and acting to draw inlone while paying out the other, means at'will to cause either of said power-driven members to be moved and disconnected fi'om the other, and means ren- 10 dered effective by such movement of said drlim to prevent sudden uncoiling movement thereof.

In testimony whereof; I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT BALL. 

